Most Underrated Players on Detroit Tigers

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On every team there are your superstars, your household names and then your role players. Well, there is if you are going to try to be a team competing for a championship which the Detroit Tigers should in 2014. Simply put, there are certain players that no matter what they seem to do, they never get the type of national attention that their counterparts do and remain under the radar quietly having a tremendous impact on the team. The Tigers are lucky enough to have a very wide range of players who fit in this category.

Now, I didn't put Miguel Cabrera on this list because I think every person on this planet knows of him, but let's just say that there may never be enough praise put on him. Instead, I went looking for guys who either are relatively young and overlooked or are veterans who get cast in Cabrera's giant shadow. On a team with Miguel Cabrera, Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander it isn't an insult to be overlooked. That doesn't mean these players aren't making some serious cash, it just means that if I were to ask you to name three Detroit Tigers, it is highly doubtful any of these names would come up, which isn't fair given how important they are to this team.

So, without further ado, here are your five most underrated Detroit Tigers. Try sending them some flowers or give them a nice card to thank them for the hard work they put in everyday for the Tigers organization. Cabrera's mailbox is full as it is and Verlander has $100 million and Kate Upton, so I think he is okay as well.

Brent Smith is a Detroit Tigers writer for RantSports.com.
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5. Alex Avila

Rick Osentoski- USA TODAY Sports

Alex Avila needs to be on this list simply because, how would you like to be hit in the face with a baseball seemingly 500 times a day? Avila gets hit in the head more times than a boxer and yet the poor guy still shows up to work each day.

4. Anibal Sanchez

Rick Osentoski- USA TODAY Sports

How can a guy making $15 million a year be underrated? When he is pitching behind Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander. Anibal Sanchez posted incredible numbers last season and was completely an afterthought in the rotation. He is huge to the success of the Tigers.

3. Drew Smyly

Rick Osentoski- USA TODAY Sports

Drew Smyly was the one guy you actually wanted to see come out of the bullpen last season and now after the Doug Fister trade, will be expected to slide in as the fifth starter in the best rotation in baseball. Smyly still is only making less than $1 million, but if he keeps pitching like he is, he will get a nice paycheck very soon.

2. Jose Iglesias

Rick Osentoski- USA TODAY Sports

Jose Iglesias may not have the bat that commands attention, but his defense is once in a generation level. On a team that plays defense similar to a work softball team, he is crucial to the future success of the Tigers.

1. Victor Martinez

Rick Osentoski- USA TODAY Sports

Victor Martinez sat behind Miguel Cabrera and Prince Fielder admirably, but now Martinez is going to start getting some attention shined on him with Fielder leaving. Tigers fans are going to start to appreciate just how talented a hitter Victor Martinez is.